CAMP UPTON
Suffolk County
May 28, 1931: "A much needed fire tower for this section is to be located on the heights at Camp Upton next spring. It will be of steel, 70 feet high, with the observation room at the top enclosed in glass. The nearest fire towers are at Selden and Flanders. Many of the fires in this intervening section during the past year were not discovered until too late to prevent heavy destruction." (The County Review)
June 5, 1931: "To augment and improve the forest fire fighting service a fire observation tower is to be erected at Camp Upton, east of Yaphank, that will provide an outlook for all of the central portion of the Island. At present there are two towers, one at Seldon and one at Flanders.
According to State Ranger Clarence A. Dare these two towers have been found inadequate because of the vast sweep of scrub oak and woodland and on many days a thick or low hanging clouds obscure fires that have broken out between the towers. With the erection of the Camp Upton tower the State will have a complete chain from Dix Hills to Amagansett, where a new one has been erected, and will be better fitted to immediately spot incipient fires. Observers are kept in the towers from March 13 until November 15. So far this year 200 forest fires have been observed from the towers and prevented from spreading over a great area." (Port Jefferson Echo)
January 29, 1932: "A new forest fire observation tower, built by the State Conservation Department at headquarters hill at Camp Upton, has been completed during the past week. The new tower, which is 70 feet high, is located on one of the highest sites of the island, being more than 200 feet above sea level. It is located where the army cantonment offices stood during the war and is the fifth of a series built in Suffolk County. The others are located at Selden, Flanders and Amagansett. A man will be kept on duty in the new tower from March 15 to November 15 to keep a close watch over the surrounding countryside, where some of the worst fires in the county have occurred." (Suffolk County News)